Combination box tie and handle



July 30, 1968 R. w. SPEER COMBINATION BOX TIE AND HANDLE INVENTDR RALPH SPEER BY Q1, w-W

ATTORNEY Filed OCt. '4, 1967 FIGS United States Patent 3,394,868 COMBINATION BOX TIE AND HANDLE Ralph W. Speer, Memphis, Tenn., assignor to Shirlo, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed Oct. 2, 1967, Ser. No. 672,370 6 Claims. (Cl. 22946) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE will serve to render all the more secure the container tying loop.

Background of the invention Heretofore, numerous efforts have been made to present a dual system for the simultaneous tying together of a box and its closure and to provide a handle for the container. Without variance, these efforts have comprised the rigid securement of end portions of the tying medium, such as primary string, to some portion of the container such as to one end wall thereof and with the other end portion being engageable to the opposite end wall of the container. A very good example of this type construction is shown in United States Letters Patent No. 891,554.

Attempts made later than the aforesaid patent have been of similar character so that a definite fixation of the tying medium to the container has been required. Accordingly, the containers of the prior art have had to be especially produced and made available to the sales personnel for packing of merchandise, such as, particularly, shoes, for a customer. Prior to the present time, such containers have, by reason of their construction, been, perforce, usable only with the particular tying system.

Summary of the invention It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a combination box tie and handle which may, at the option of the user, be mounted upon the container so that a freedom of choice is permitted the user.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character stated which may be readily mounted in operative position by unskilled personnel and without requiring the utilization of tools or other implements.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a device of the character stated which may be most cheaply manufactured and the use of which does not require any permanent affixation to the container so that upon termination of use, the same may be discarded, leaving the container in a state suitable for subsequent usage.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a combination box tie and handle which may be most cheaply manufactured, reliable and durable in usage, and the use of which is most easily effected.

Brief description of the drawing FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a combination box tie and handle constructed in accordance with and embodying the present invention, illustrating the same preparatory to installation upon a container.

FIGURE 2 is a front view of a container having the 3,394,868 Patented July 30, 1968 ICC said combination box tie and handle installed thereon but not in an operative state.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 but illustrating the combination box tie and handle in full lines.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical, transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of FIGURE 2 but illustrating the container and closure therefor as being engaged thereabout, for tying purposes, by a portion of the flexible member.

FIGURE 5 is a vertical, transverse view taken on the line 3--3 of FIGURE 2 but illustrating the combination box tie and handle in full lines and in a tying and handleforming condition.

FIGURE 6 is a front end view of the container as shown in FIGURE 5 with the combination box tie and handle in full operative disposition.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now by reference characters to the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiment of the present invention, 1 generally designates a container having parallel end walls 2, 3, a bottom wall 4, and side walls 5, 6; said container being open at the top. Provided for said disposition across the open top of container 1 is a closure 7 having a depending peripheral skirt 8 for presentation exteriorly of the side portions of the container end and side walls 2, 3, 5 and 6. It is to be understood that container 1 together with its closure may be of any suitable form but for purposes of illustration only, it is presented herein as of general rectangular character and being of the nature most widely encountered for carrying shoes. However, as will be explained hereinbelow the present invention is useful with containers of all character.

Provided in one wall of container 1, such as preferably end wall 2, and substantially centrally thereof, is a slotlilce opening 9 being elongated in characted with its major dimension being vertically thereof. Presented for extension through opening 9 is a lug 10 integrally forming the rearwardly or normally inner portion of a combination box tie and handle, indicated generally at A, which may be formed in any suitable manner such as, preferably, by molding from plastic. Said lug 10 is of like contour as opening 9, being of sufficiently less area so as to allow for its facile passage into and through said opening 9. On it forward face lug 10 is integral in its central portion with an annular neck 11 the diameter of which is substantially the same as less than the transverse extent of lug 10. At its opposite end, neck 11 is integral with a circular plate 12 which constitutes the forward or outer por tion of combination box tie and handle A. The diameter of plate 12 may be substantially the same as the vertical extent of lug 10 so that the upper edge portions of the latter will be aligned (see FIGURE 1). The side portions of plate 12 will thus extend laterally beyond the side faces of lug 10 by reason of the fact that the diameter of plate 12 is substantially the same as the major dimension of lug 10. Provided on plate 12 in diametrally opposed relationship and along the normal transverse axis thereof, being along an axis perpendicular to the major axis of'lug 10 is a pair of apertures 13, 13', the outer walls of which are parted as at 14, 14' respectively, to allow movement into said openings 13, 13 of the strands of a fiexible member such as string indicated at 15. It will thus be seen that the inner wall portions of openings 13, 13' are substantially aligned with the side face portions of lug 10 for reasons presently appearing.

Flexible member 15 may be of any suitable material such as string and the like and may, if desired, be elastimember 15 is then doubled upon itself as in the usual figure 8 configuration so as to form two loops designated generally 16, 16 in FIGURE 1. The doubled loop member 15 is then passed over plate 12 causing the strands of the two loops 16, 16' to pass through the partings 14, 14 for reception within opening 13, 13 (see FIGURE 1); the said partings 14, 14' are of such limited extent that an application of limited force is required causing the strands to move therethrough whereby the same may be inhibited against accidental, unauthorized displacement from openings '13, 13. The strands extending rearwardly from openings 13, 13 are directed along the side faces of lug and inserted into the interior of container 1 through opening 9. Thereupon, lug 10 is directed through opening 9 and on completion of such movement, the user is able, by gripping of plate 12, to turn combination box tie and handle A through an arc of 90 so that openings 13, 13 are then aligned with the upper and lower portions of container opening 9, but by such rotation, lug 10 will be presented transversely of said opening 9 and with its end portions abutting against the confronting sections .of the m ner face of wall 2 whereby locking combination box tie and handle A against withdrawal. (See FIGURE 3.)

With combination box tie and handle A as thus installed upon container 1, the flexible member may be received upon the bottom wall of container 1 against operational usage thereof and in such position closure 7 is freely movable so that full access may be made to the interior of said container 1.

When it is desired to tie container 1 and closure 7 securely together, and after the said closure has been engaged upon said container 1, the user will pull forwardly upon the exposed portion of either of said loops 16, 16'; such exposed portion being that extending across plate 12 between openings 13, 13. The user will continue pulling forwardly on such loop until a sufiicient amount has been withdrawn so as to entirely circumscribe container 1 and the closure 7 along the longitudinal axis thereof (see FIGURE 4). With container 1 and closure 7 thus engaged by flexible member 15, the loop remaining across plate 12 is then pulled forwardly, away from plate 12, to form a handle as at h in FIGURE 5 and which withdrawing action will cause a tightening of the loop engaging closure 7 and container 1. Although in forming the original loops of flexible member 15 which loops are indicated at 16, 16', the same may be of substantially like extent, it is to be observed that, understandably, the loop-forming portion of flexible member 15 which ties container 1 and closure 7 together will be of greater extent than the loop remaining for forming handle 11.

The combination box tie and handle A being mounted upon one end of container 1, the suspension of the latter by means of the loop-forming handle it will, through gravity, cause the maximum extension of handle it with attendant tightening of the loop tying container 1.

In order to effect opening of container 1, the user merely releases the tension upon handle portion h which will cause a relaxation of the tension within the loop about container 1 and closure 7 so that the same may be easily slipped from closure 7 to allow withdrawal of the same.

In view of the foregoing, it is indeed obvious that the present invention provides a most useful expedient for serving the dual purpose of securely tying a box and its closure together and providing a handle for facile transportation thereof. The said invention may be easily mounted upon the particular container by the average unskilled individual such as sales personnel and obviously the usefulness of container 1 is in no way impaired should the user not elect to utilize the combination box tie and handle A.

It should be understood that changes and modifications in the formation, construction, and arrangement and com bination of the several parts of the combination box tie .4. and handle may be made and substituted for these herein shown and described without departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim and desire to obtain by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a container having side walls and a removable closure, a combination tie and handle for said container comprising a body, a lug portion formed in one end of said body, one of said container side walls having an opening of slightly greater area than said lug for extension of the latter therethrough, a relatively enlarged outer portion provided on said body and having an area greater than said container opening, said outer portion having a pair of spaced-apart apertures for alignment with portions of said container opening, and a flexible endless member forming a double loop with strands of each loop extended across the outer portion and through the apertures thereof for extension into said container through the opening thereof, the length of said flexible member being of greater extent than the perimeter of said container and closure when the latter are in engaged relationship.

2. In combination with a container having upstanding sidewalls and a removable closure therefor, a combination tie and handle therefor as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said container opening having a greater vertical extent than width, there being a reduced neck portion intermediate said lug and said relatively enlarged outer portion so as to present said lug fully interior of said container when the said combination tie and handle is engaged in said container opening, the transverse extent of said neck being less than the distance between the apertures of said enlarged outer portion.

3. In combination with a container having upstanding side walls and a removable closure, a combination tie and handle therefor as defined in claim 2 and further characterized by said neck having a transverse extent no greater than the width of said lug and having its upper and lower portions spaced from the upper and lower ends of said lug.

4. In combination with a container having upstanding side walls and a removable closure, a combination tie and handle therefor as defined in claim 3 and further characterized by said outer portion being annular and having a diameter substantially equivalent to the maximum dimension of the lug, said spaced apart apertures being diametrally opposed.

5. In combination with a container having upstanding side walls and a removable closure, a combination tie and handle therefor as defined in claim 4 and further characterized by narrow openings formed within said outer portion for connecting the said apertures with the exterior, said last mentioned openings being of such character to permit forced passage therethrough of the strands of the flexible member.

6. In combination with a container having upstanding side walls and a removable closure, a combination tie and handle therefor as defined in claim 5 and further characterized by the inner portions of said apertures being substantially aligned with the vertical side faces of said lug, and the transverse extent of said neck being less than the minimum dimension of said container opening so as to allow rotation of said container tie and handle when the lug has been inserted through said container opening for turning said lug through an angle of so as to present its major axis in normal relationship to the minor axis of said container opening to thereby lock said combination tie and handle to said container.

No references cited.

DAVID M. BOCKENEK, Primary Examiner. 

